*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*› › ›           NEWSLETTER REVIEWS› ›            by Alan Sharkis›       OHAUG Newsletter Librarian› › We have  just  completed considerable› work on the  OHAUG  Welcome  Disk,  a› disk  that  we give to new members of› the group  to  help  them  understand› what  we're  all  about.  It includes› samples of what can  be  accomplished› with  Atari  8-bit  computers.    The› original  disk  showed  a lot of care› and   hard  labor  by  its  creators,› including  president  ALEX   PIGNATO,› but it was time for major  revisions.› Interesting,  then,  that  among  the› newsletters we've received from other› user  groups  are  signs  that  their› newsletters    are    undergoing    a› continuous  revision process.  That's› as it should be.  Stagnation  doesn't› mirror  the present and works against› a healthy future.  Some may  call  8-› BIT'ters   fossils,  but  we're  not.› We're  alive,  adaptable,  and  still› creating,  as  these club newsletters› will show.› › The LVAUG Newsletter for August, 1992› has  made  an  attempt to dispell the› dryness associated  with  user  group› newletters.   Interspersed  among the› articles are little humorous sayings,› cartoons,   one-liners  and  dialogs.› Some,    unfortunately,   I've   seen› before, but you have to applaud their› efforts.   So  must  you  applaud the› efforts of ED BACHMAN  who  begins  a› great  tutorial  on  SpartaDos.  Ed's› approach     is    interesting    and› effective.    He   tells  us  what  a› command-line processor is,  and  then› proceeds    to    explain   SpartaDos› commands, comparing them directly  to› the  more  familiar  Atari  Dos  menu› choices.   In  this way, he shows how› the syntax of SpartaDos  varies  from› that of Atari Dos, and shows also how› it  may  be  more  flexible  in  some› situations.  I'd like to see a three-› way  or  four-way  comparison done at› some time, however.   Maybe  a  chart› will do.  There'd be Atari Dos, disk-› based Sparta (as Ed  has  done),  SDX› (which  I  favor  in many situations)› and one other (perhaps  MyDos?)   No,› I'm  not  volunteering  for this one,› but it  could  be  very  useful.    A› reprint  of  Name  Game  by  "THE OLD› DOG", from NeoStag News.  July  1991,› rounds  out  this  issue.    It's   a› humorous    look   at   commonly-used› initials.› › The JACG  Newsletter  for  September,› 1992  carries a first-page article by› editor DAVID ARLINGTON that  I  agree› (ur,   half)  with.   Let me explain.› Dave got a 130XE, two additional disk› drives  and  a  Commodore  1702 color› monitor.  Now he feels he's in editor› heaven.   I,  too,  like   the   1702› monitor.  I've admired them from afar› for many years.  I even  secured  one› for OHAUG two years before I was able› to get my own.  Now that  I  have  my› own,  I have to agree with Dave.  The› characters are clear, there's a  tiny› hint  of artifacting that you have to› go out of your way to find, and color› purity  is fantastic!  But, keyboards› are much more of a subjective matter.› I'm  typing this now on my 130XE, and› I absolutely HATE the  keyboard!   In› my  mind,  the best keyboard Atari 8-› bit computers ever used was  the  one› on  my  old 800.  A second to that is› the Focus 2001 that I use with my IBM› clone.  I know it's impossible to put› an 800 keyboard into a 130XE, but I'm› going   to  investigate the TransKey.› Still, if Dave is  happy,  I'm  happy› for  him.  I know the new system will› help him produce and fight fatigue at› the  same  time.  JOSEPH E. HICKSWA's› column  on  the  8-bit  meetings  was› interesting.  It alluded to a  method› of  tying  two  8-bits with different› power   requirements  together.   SAM› COREY (also an OHAUG memember)  seems› to  feel that new magazine, The Atari› Classics  Magazine  may   draw  vital› resources and  readership  away  from› AIM  and  Current Notes.  I can't say› that   I   agree  with  him,  because› Current   Notes   8-bit  editor  RICK› REASER   is    actively    soliciting› articles  on  FidoNet,  and  has made› several contacts in  this  way.   AIM› has  an  agreement  to share articles› with AC, and there is  at  least  the› potential  that  an  AC  article will› appear    in   AIM  and  vice  versa.› However, Sam does state that he  will› support AC and urges others to do the› same.   I can't agree more with that.› SAM also cites OHAUG as an 8-bit club› that  continues  to  have  a  growing› membership, with members who actively› participate.  If you'r an Ultima fan,› you need to  read  DAVID  ARLINGTON's› column    on    that    still-popular› adventure  game.   Finally, JOSEPH E.› HICSWA (another OHAUG member)  writes› two great articles dealing with BASIC› programming. Way to go, JOE. One is a› listing  that  produces  a  beautiful› graphics display in only 20 lines  of› code.   The  other  deals  with  data› statements.› › Nybbles      and      Bytes       for› November/December,  1992 mentions the› OHAUG newsletters among the DOMS that› NWPAC  President  DALE   WOOSTER   is› collecting  for their library.  We're› honored, Dale.  There are reprints of› the  CHUCK  SHWARK (CLAUG) article on› caring for floppy disks, and the  BOB› WOOLLEY  (SLCC) article on high speed› sector skews, how they work, and when› and  where  they  can  be used.  MIKE› BROWN tells  us  how  to  change  the› battery in an RTime8 Cartridge.  DALE› WOOSTER ends with a  column  boosting› Atari Classics Magazine.› › ACE  of   Syracuse   Newsletter   for› November/December,  1992  brings us a› couple   of  interesting  discoveries› made by TOM FECTEAU.  Tom found  that› the  Sega  Genesis  controller works,› though not perfectly, on an Atari  8-› bit  system.   If you're a gamer, and› you like the feel of this  controller› or  are  just  curious,   read   this› article.   Tom  also reports that the› old Electronic Arts  game,  M.U.L.E.,› which fascinated many of us in the 8-› bit   world,  has  been  updated  and› released  for  the  Nintendo  system.› THOMAS J. ANDREWS(stillanother  OHAUG› member reviewed the premier issue  of› Atari  Classics Magazine. It's a very› favorable review and, I feel, also an› objective  one. Tom also  reminds  us› that  the  type-in programs  that  we› found in ANTIC, ANALOG,  and Compute!› can now be found  on  CompuServe  and› GEnie. Thanks, Tom.› › The PSAN for November/December,  1992› continues  a  series  of  reviews  of› European 8-bit software with a review› of AD 2044 from Poland written by KIT› CARSON    (S*P*A*C*E).     It's    an› adventure    game    with    a   most› interesting    history    and    user› interface.  I won't give it away, but› just  remember  the changes that took› place in Poland in the last few years› ...   KIT  (otherwise known as Chris)› also reviews MISJA and FRED, two more› Polish   games  in  an second column.› You  have  to  read  this  column  to› appreciate the situation with  8-bits› and   software  production in Poland.› How many explanations have you  heard› for the initials IBM?  Well, DR. ANON› E. MUSS (c'mon now!)  has  written  a› short  column that cleverly puts many› of these to work in a column  called,› "IBMitis  -  Have  YOU  got  it?"   I› rolled  on  the  floor  laughing over› that one.  JOHN  PICKEN  (G.C.A.C.E.)› has  a  beautiful   presentation   of› computer  arithmetic   that   starts,› naturally,  with  binary  arithmetic,› but  includes  binary-hexadecimal and› hexadecimal-binary conversion,  which› is vital for any foray into the world› of assembly-language programming.  It› also  includes  an   often-overlooked› explanation  of   BCD   (binary-coded› decimal) notation.› › ACT  and DEED for Winter, 1993 is the› premier issue  of  a  new  newsletter› which   we  welcome enthusiastically.› It's  a  joint  effort  of  ACT,  the› Affiliated Connecticut Groups.   This› is the organization that promotes the› Connecticut  AtariFest  each  summer,› and  is  looking  for  greater  8-bit› (hint,  hint!)  participation.   This› issue reviews the last CT  AtariFest,› announces  a  swap meet to be held in› Stamford on Tuesday,  February  6,  a› plan  to  organize   excursions   for› computer  widows  and other non-users› in   conjunction  with  the  next  CT› AtariFest, and  an  article  about  a› book  store  that actually sells four› Atari-related   magazines   by   DOUG› FINCH.     Commercial     advertising› abounds  in  this issue.  We wish the› Connecticut groups the best  of  luck› on  producing  this  fine newsletter,› now   billed   as  a  quarterly,  and› eagerly  await their spring offering.› › 8:16   for   Fourth   Quarter,   1992› features    an   article   by   TERRY› CHAMBERLAIN  on  how  to  modify  the› German 8-bit Mah Jong  game,  Taipei,› so  that  it can be played with an ST› mouse connected to the joystick port.› A  BASIC  listing and assembly source› code accompany the  article.   THOMAS› HOLZER    runs   down   the   options› available to you if you wish to use a› light  gun with your 8-bit as well as› reviewing   all    of    the    games› specifically    made     for     this› controller.   MAX  GERUM  writes   an› elaborate     review     of     DAVID› RICHARDSON's   Daisy  Dot  III  Users› Guide.    This   manual   is    quite› elaborate,   is   endorsed   by   ROY› GOLDMAN, the author of  DD  III,  and› consists  of  5 ARC'd DSSD disks or 9› SSSD unarc'd disks.  In addition to a› manual, there are extra fonts for all› kinds of special purposes,  and  some› of JOHN McGOWAN's conversion programs› and   utilities    to    use    DDIII› efficiently  with  TextPro.   Perhaps› the  best feature of the manual, says› reviewer Gerum, is the fact  that  it› is   entirely  in  the public domain.› This issue of 8:16 also includes  the› announcement  of  a new user group in› England, to be known as  AAUSAC,  the› Association of Atari Users in Schools› and Colleges.› › (FR)ANTIC for  December,  1992  is  a› holiday  issue,  and,  as  such,  has› almost   no  interest  for outsiders.› However, if  you  want  to  associate› names    and    faces,    there   are› photographs of several of the members› reproduced  in  the issue.   There is› also mention of the old  APX  series,› apparently  being  marketed  by   B&C› Computervisions  with descriptions of› some of the well-known titles.› › Between Bytes for December, 1992 goes› through  correspondence  of  interest› the  JACS  has  received.  This issue› produces   two    rather    important› letters.   One is from the sysop of a› military Atari Club BBS that is based› in  Japan.   He  desires   equipment,› software  and magazines for swap.  He› also needs to know about  the  latest› upgrades  and  modules  of  PRO.    A› second  newsletter is from ED GALVAN,› editor of the ACCESS KEY (Sacramento,› CA)  stating  that  8-bit interest in› his club is declining and asking  for› suggestions on keeping 8-bit interest› alive.    SHAWN   POULSON   writes  a› detailed article about interfacing  a› hard  disk to an 8-bit.  ROGER HELLER› writes     another     one      about› telecommunications.› › The  S.A.G.E.  Scroll  for  December,› 1992   mentions  OHAUG's   newsletter› again   in   JAMES   GURIEL's   8-Bit› Section.  In fact, the  column  lacks› original  writing  by Jim, he states,› for lack of time.   How  many  of  us› have  been  there?   At  any rate, he› reprints an article that we, in  turn› reprinted  fromthe  Mid-Florida Atari› Computer   Club   Newsletter.    It's› CAROLYN  HOGLIN's  fine  article   on› preparing  documents wih AW+ that can› be sued with WordStar or other 16-bit› programs, together with some material› on how to transfer these documents to› other  machines.   Jim  follows  this› column  with a report on his visit to› a  swap meet  run  by  another  club.› That's  an   interesting   story   by› itself.› › The MUG Newsletter for December, 1992› is   rather   thick.   Some  of  that› thickness, happily, is contributed by› the Atari News section written by the› members of NAPCO.  NAPCO's  offerings› have  been a little slim of late, and› I'm glad they have recovered,  though› I  am  a  bit  at   odds   with   the› bitterness and pessimism expressed in› the longest article.  This article is› the first in a series by DC Signorini› that outlines his, and AUA's position› regarding   that   controversy   that› erupted    in  the  Pittsburgh  area.› Early in the article, Derek says that› he is finished badmouthing Atari, yet› he concludes with  the  opinion  that› the  ST  is  a  dead-end platform and› that serious users should look to the› MacIntosh   and Intel-based machines.› History since then,  with  regard  to› the  STe  line  and   the   projected› Falcon,  may  prove him in a minority› position.  But, his bitterness can be› explained  quite easily, as we follow› his  and  his  groups  noble  efforts› against   piracy.    Of   more  8-bit› specific interest is  an  article  by› THOMAS J. ANDREWS, reprinted from the› ACE of Syracuse Newsletter about such› essential  utilities  as BASICON.COM,› Custom Print, Print Star, and  Multi-› AUTORUN.› › The  LIAUG  Light  House for January,› 1993 contains a reprint from Z*NET of› January,  1992  of  an   article   on› announcing  and  describing The Black› Box   from   CSS.    This   is   very› informative,  particularly if you are› looking for a  hard  drive  interface› for your Atari.› › *+*+*+*+*+*+*+* End *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*›